Safety shield for use with the winch wheel of a boat lift

ABSTRACT

A safety shield ( 32 ) is provided for use with a hand-operated winch wheel ( 18 ) of a boat lift ( 10 ), the wheel ( 18 ) having a rim ( 22 ) connected by spokes ( 26 ) to a hub ( 24 ), multiple openings ( 28 ) defined between the spokes ( 26 ) and the rim ( 22 ). The safety shield ( 32 ) includes at least one sheet of material ( 32 ) having a perimeter ( 36 ) shaped to conform to a perimeter ( 38 ) of one of the openings ( 28 ). The sheet ( 34 ) includes a plurality of connection points ( 40 ) and/or connectors ( 42 ) for attaching the perimeter ( 36 ) to the spokes ( 26 ) and the rim ( 22 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to winch wheels and particularly to winch wheelsused in boat lifts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common for boat lifts to include a manually operated winch wheelthat is connected to the lift mechanism to allow a user to raise andlower a boat in the lift. Such winch wheels commonly have a rimconnected by a plurality of spokes to a hub, which in turn is connectedto a shaft of the lift mechanism. The rim and spokes define a pluralityof openings in the wheel that are typically of a size that easily allowsfor the accidental insertion of a body part (finger, hand, arm, head,etc.) of a user or other person into the openings during rotation of thewinch wheel. Such accidental insertion can cause injury when the bodypart becomes pinched or scissored between the moving spokes/rim of thewinch wheel and the stationary structure of the boat lift, particularlywhen the winch wheel is being driven by the weight of the boat or by amotorized drive mechanism. The potential danger associate with suchaccidental insertion is evidenced by the safety warningdecals/stickers/signs that are commonly posted on the winch wheels ofboat lifts in an effort to prevent accidental injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention seeks to minimize or prevent the potential for injurycaused by accidental insertion of a body part into the openings of awinch wheel during operation of a boat lift.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, a safety shield isprovided for use with a hand operated winch wheel of a boat lift, thewheel having a rim connected by spokes to a hub, with multiple openingsdefined between the spokes and the rim.

According to one feature, the safety shield includes at least one sheetof material having a perimeter shaped to conform to a perimeter of oneof the openings defined between the spokes and the rim. The sheet ofmaterial includes a plurality of connection points for attaching theperimeter to the spokes and the rim defining the one of the openings.

According to one feature, the at least one sheet of material includes apolyethylene panel.

In one feature, the at least one sheet of material is perforated.

According to one feature, the at least one sheet of material includes aplurality of perforations that define a logo.

As one feature, the at least one sheet of material has a decorativedesign on a face of the sheet of material.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the safety shieldincludes a plurality of sheets of material, each sheet having aperimeter shaped to conform to a perimeter of one of the openingsdefined between the spokes and the rim. Each sheet includes a pluralityof connection points for attaching the perimeter to the spokes and therim defining the one of the openings.

In one feature, each sheet of material includes a polyethylene panel.

As one feature, at least one of the sheets is perforated.

According to one feature, at least one of the sheets includes aplurality of perforations that define a logo.

In one feature, at least one of the sheets has a decorative design on aface of the sheet.

In one feature, each of the connection points includes a grommet. As afurther feature, the safety shield further includes a plurality ofconnectors adapted to extend from the connection points to the spokesand rim defining the one of the openings. In a further feature, each ofthe connection points includes a grommet and each of the connectorsincludes a cable tie.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the safety shieldincludes at least one sheet of material having a perimeter shaped toconform to a perimeter of one of the openings defined between the spokesand the rim; and a plurality of connectors adapted to extend from theperimeter to the spokes and rim defining the one of the openings.

As one feature, each of the connectors includes a cable tie. In afurther feature, the safety shield includes a plurality of grommetslocated adjacent the perimeter to receive the cable ties.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a review of the entire specification, including theappended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic illustration of a boat lift includinga manually operated winch wheel and a safety shield embodying thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a boat lift 10 is shown for raising a loweringa boat to and from a body of water. The boat lift 10 includes a liftmechanism, shown schematically at 16, that includes a manually operatedwinch wheel 18 for applying a drive torque to the lift mechanism 16. Thelift mechanism 16 may optionally include an electric drive motor, shownschematically at 20, that can supply the drive torque to the liftmechanism 16 via the winch wheel 18 or via a direct connection to thelift mechanism 16. Because there are many know forms of boat lifts 10,lift mechanisms 16, and drive motors 20, and further because the detailsof these components are not critical to the invention, furtherdescription of these components will not be provided herein.

The winch wheel 18 includes a rim 22, a hub 24 connected to theremainder of the lift mechanism 16, and a plurality of spoke 26connecting the rim 22 to the hub 24, with the rim 22 and spokes 26defining a plurality of wheel openings 28. The wheel 18 will typicallyalso include a user graspable handle 30 connected to the rim 22 or oneof the spokes 26 adjacent the rim 22 that is gripped by a user to rotatethe wheel 18 during manual operation of the boat lift 16. The handle 30is provided, at least in part, to discourage users from inserting theirhands and fingers into the openings 28 during manual operation of thewheel 18.

A safety shield 32 is provided for use with the winch wheel 18 tominimize the potential for insertion of a body part into one of theopenings 28 during operation of the boat lift 16. The safety shield 32includes a number of sheets or panels of material 34 equal to the numberof openings 28. Each of the sheets 34 has a perimeter 36 shaped toconform to a perimeter 38 of a corresponding one of the wheel openings28. Each of sheets also includes a plurality of connection points 40 andconnector 42 for attaching the perimeter 36 to the spokes 26 and rim 22defining the corresponding wheel opening 28. In the illustratedembodiment, each of the connection points 40 is provided in the form ofa grommet 44 and each of the connectors 42 is provided in the form of acable tie 46. It should be appreciated that while grommets 44 and cableties 46 are shown in the preferred embodiment, there are many possiblealternatives for connecting the perimeter 36 of each sheet 34 to thespokes 26 and rim 22. For example, connectors 42 could be sewn directlyto the perimeter 36 and be in the forms of hooks or strips of materialthat encircle a spoke 26 or the rim 22 while being locked in place witha suitable fastener such as a snap button or hook and loop closure. Asyet another alternative, any type of cord or roping could be used toextend from the perimeter 36 to attach to the spokes 26 and rim 22.There are many other possible alternatives that will occur to oneskilled in the art for connecting the perimeter 36 to the spokes 26 andrim 22.

Preferably, the sheets 34 are made from polyethylene panels, and, evenmore preferred, from rigid ultraviolet protected polyethylene panels.However, it should be understood that any suitable material can be usedto form the sheets 34, including for example, polypropylene, canvas,vinyl, plexiglass, Seamark™, and/or sintra.

As one possible option, one or more of the sheets 34 can include aplurality of perforations 50, Which can be of any form, to help reducethe wind resistance of the sheet 34. Furthermore, as yet another option,the perforations 50 can be arranged to define a logo 52 or otherdecorative design. In this regard, a logo or decorative design can beprovided on one or more of the sheets 34 by other means thanperforations, such as, for example, by silk screening, embroidery,decals, etc. Another possible decorative effect for the safety shield 32is to provide the sheets 34 in either matching colors or in contrastingor complementary colors.

It should be understood that while the illustrated winch wheel 18 hasfour wheel openings 28, the number of openings 28 in each winch wheel 18can vary depending upon a number of factors, including the diameter ofthe winch wheel 18. Accordingly, no limitation to the exact number ofsheets 34 is intended. Furthermore, it should be understood, that thesheets 34 can be provided to a user either individually, packaged inpairs, or any other appropriate number of sheets 34, including a numberof sheets 34 to match the number of openings 28 in a particular winchwheel 18.

1. A safety shield for use with a hand operated winch wheel of a boatlift, the wheel having a rim connected by spokes to a hub, the wheelhaving multiple openings defined between the spokes and the rim, thesafety shield comprising: at least one sheet of material having aperimeter shaped to conform to a perimeter of one of the openingsdefined between the spokes and the rim, the sheet of material includinga plurality of connection points for attaching the perimeter to thespokes and the rim defining the one of the openings.
 2. The safetyshield of claim 1 wherein each of the connection points comprises agrommet.
 3. The safety shield of claim 1 wherein the at least one sheetof material comprises a polyethylene panel.
 4. The safety shield ofclaim 1 further comprising a plurality of connectors adapted to extendfrom the connection points to the spokes and rim defining the one of theopenings.
 5. The safety shield of claim 4 wherein each of the connectionpoints comprises a grommet and each of the connectors comprises a cabletie.
 6. The safety shield of claim 1 wherein the at least one sheet ofmaterial is perforated.
 7. The safety shield of claim 1 wherein the atleast one sheet of material comprises a plurality of perforations thatdefine a logo.
 8. The safety shield of claim 1 wherein the at least onesheet of material has a decorative design on a face of the sheet ofmaterial.
 9. A safety shield for use with a hand operated winch wheel ofa boat lift, the wheel having a rim connected by spokes to a hub, thewheel having multiple openings defined between the spokes and the rim,the safety shield comprising: a plurality of sheets of material, eachsheet having a perimeter shaped to conform to a perimeter of one of theopenings defined between the spokes and the rim, each sheet including aplurality of connection points for attaching the perimeter to the spokesand the rim defining the one of the openings.
 10. The safety shield ofclaim 9 wherein each of the connection points comprises a grommet. 11.The safety shield of claim 9 wherein each sheet of material comprises apolyethylene panel.
 12. The safety shield of claim 9 further comprisinga plurality of connectors adapted to extend from the connection pointsto the spokes and rim defining the one of the openings.
 13. The safetyshield of claim 12 wherein each of the connection points comprises agrommet and each of the connectors comprises a cable tie.
 14. The safetyshield of claim 9 wherein at least one of the sheets is perforated. 15.The safety shield of claim 9 wherein at least one sheet of the sheetscomprises a plurality of perforations that define a logo.
 16. The safetyshield of claim 9 wherein at least one of the sheets has a decorativedesign on a face of the sheet.
 17. A safety shield for use with a handoperated winch wheel of a boat lift, the wheel having a rim connected byspokes to a hub, the wheel having multiple openings defined between thespokes and the rim, the safety shield comprising: at least one sheet ofmaterial having a perimeter shaped to conform to a perimeter of one ofthe openings defined between the spokes and the rim; and a plurality ofconnectors adapted to extend from the perimeter to the spokes and rimdefining the one of the openings.
 18. The safety shield of claim 17wherein the at least one sheet of material comprises a polyethylenepanel.
 19. The safety shield of claim 17 wherein each of the connectorscomprises a cable tie.
 20. The safety shield of claim 19 furthercomprising a plurality of grommets located adjacent the perimeter toreceive the cable ties.